Australia's central bank made only minor changes to its economic forecasts in a quarterly policy statement Friday, but said it has growing confidence in its expectation that inflation will rise over time.

Screws Tighten on Risky Chinese Insurance

In China, lucrative bets are usually followed by a regulatory clampdown. So it was only a matter of time before China's acquisitive and unlisted life insurers started feeling the pain.

India Gives Central Bank More Power to Target Bad Loans

India's government issued an executive order giving the central bank more power to tackle the growing problem of bad loans.

GE's Immelt Warns Trump on Perils of Protectionism

While some American executives have been hesitant to criticize the U.S. president, General Electric's chief executive provided a warning Thursday: globalization needs an overhaul, but the U.S. should avoid the temptation to throw up barriers to free trade.

Trade Uncertainty Holding Back Growth, Says Bank of Canada's Poloz

Bank of Canada Gov. Stephen Poloz warned trade-policy uncertainty in the U.S. is a significant headwind to growth as companies are hesitant to invest without knowing what a revamped North American trade pact would hold for their futures.

Jay Clayton Sworn In to Lead SEC

Jay Clayton was sworn in as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, becoming the Trump administration's first permanent head of a financial regulatory agency.